Adam:
So far. Why?
Jolene:
No reason. Are you almost done?
Adam:
Close. You haven’t told me what you’re doing tonight?
Jolene:
I guess I’m doing my own group project. I started filming a music video for my friend’s band.
Adam:
Cool.
Jolene:
It’s just footage of them playing the song for now, but I have ideas for the story element that I’ll shoot later on. G2G get my stuff together.
Adam:
I gotta go, too. TTYL.
Jolene:
I’d say have fun, but it’s you and school stuff, how could you not have fun?
Jolene:
What, no response?
Jolene:
Adam?
Jolene:
I guess I’ll catch you later.
ADAM
It wasn’t the first time she’d done it, but having Erica Porter wrap her arms around me wasn’t a sensation I’d ever get over.
“Adam, hi!” She squeezed me for a few seconds longer than she had the last time I’d come to her house, leaning into me in a way that forced all rational thought from my mind, like the fact that her dad was a few feet behind her and we were on her front porch. “Come in.” She pulled back, and I had to remind myself to let her go. “Dad, you remember Adam.”
I stepped inside and shook his hand. “Mr. Porter.”
He wasn’t a big man, but he had a presence, and he kept the pressure of his handshake strong and steady as he held my gaze, communicating very clearly that he was capable of protecting his daughter if need be and that there’d better not be a need.
“How are you, Adam? Ready to get to work?” Even though I’d been to Erica’s house half a dozen times since we’d become partners, I’d only met her dad last week, because he’d been away on a military assignment.
“Yes, sir.”
“You two have been working hard. Must be almost done.”
